WORKING THE PRESS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1874, 7 September 1918, Page 1

WORKING THE PRESS.

GERMANY’S SKILFUL METHODS. BERNSTOFF’S SYSTEM. Among recent cablegrams is a message referring to the activity of pro-German newspapers in Sweden in villifying England by means of scurrilous articles. The point of the message is not the pro-Genuaii work of llie press, but the alleged bias of the law in favour of it ; nevertheless the item gives point to the following article writ lon by an English journalist, Mr H, Bailey, and telegraphed from London to the American newspapers: — ■ Now that the importance of the j work' of propaganda has been re- ii cognised by the Government it is to be hoped, writes Mr Bailey, that some drastic' change both in (lie extent and in the methods of this work will shortly ensue. Whether, however, it is realised that modern propaganda is more or less a secret service matter and whether the lessons of our propaganda failure in Russia have been thoroughly learned remains to he seen. Certainly in this matter, as in others, we can derive much enlightenment from a study of how Germany has made propaganda a potential instrument of diplomacy, if not of warfare. Secrecy of origin and the employment of subjects of the country in which the propaganda, is conducted arc the leading characteristic's of the German sylem. But every country is favoured with an orgauisat ion peculiarly suited to it.- conditions, and this is well illustrated by the propadanda carried out by Bernstoff at Washington before the entry of America into the war.

Washing!on is the great news centre of America. In no of her place in (he world will you tind such keen competition among journalists for exclusive nows as at the American capital. BcrnslolT realised this as he realised the impossibility of winning the favour of American journalists by bribing or by social attention. His inventive mind quickly suggested the opening of a news bureau at the German Embassy, where at any time of the day or night the journalist hungry for news eould call in the expectation of hearing something that would give him (hat happy feeling that only a journalist hastening to the telegraph office with a ‘Mil-hit” ever knows. But the news was not German news. It was apparently chiefly American social or political news, a forthcoming marriage or an impending appointment. The confidence of the journalists was thus won, hut in course of time BerustolT skilfully coloured (he news to further German propaganda or'inserted items that were calculated lo create a pro-German atmosphere.

Meanwhile he utilised every other means that came lo hand for preventing that unity of conviction of the people of America that alone could insure America’s entry into the war. Where the stories of atrocities in Belgium aroused the horror of America, Bernstoff was content to issue a general denial of their truth. At last a woman was convicted in England of giving false information as to these atrocities, and Bernstoff saw that this ease became known to every town in America as a typical case, as he said, of the foundations for British stories of German atrocities. The effect was remarkable. Henceforth the Middle West and the We-t refused to believe anything about the rape of Belgium. Bernstoff also employed a number of men to watch the newspapers outside the great Eastern cities. Charles Edward Russell, who unearthed and exposed Bernstolf’s propaganda, told me of a typical east 1 of one of Bernsiolf’s agents fooling a Western editor. This agent represented to the editor, whose knowledge of Europe was, as is the east 1 ' m the Middle West of America, very meagre, that he had just returned from a vi-it to Rhcims Cathedral, and that the story of its partial destruction was absolutely false. He produced, indeed, ■ photographs of the cathedral showing il standing intact. The editor requested him to write an article on the subject, and forthwith there appeared, with photographs, a complete and detailed denial, several columns in length, of the report of the shelling of Rheims Cathedral. These agents travelled throughout M estern America in the guise of cither bona lide journalists or as world travellers. They offered “exclusive” stories to the editors, and were received with marked attention. If their scheme was detected and a pro-Ally newspaper refused their offers, then that paper was black-listed and German firms were secretly requested to withdraw their a d vert is emen t coat ra c t s. In this manner did Bernstoff seek to prevent or at least delay the out-

break of American hostility to Germany. It was, indeed, propaganda on a great scale. But Germany has been wise enough to perceive that propaganda in Scandinavia is certainly a different proposition from propaganda in America. In Copenhagen and Stockholm it is through Socialist and trade union organisations that she directs her propaganda. Socialist newspapers are financed and coni rolled for her purposes. News agencies are subsidised and correspondents arc bribed. While we merely issue a catalogue of photographs of our war activities that one never sees outside the waiting-rooms of our legations, Germany supplies coal to the Socialists as (he price of assistance in the work of her propaganda. Swedes and Danes write in her favour at her instigation. But the hand of Germany is seldom revealed and the work of convincing Scandinavia that she is invincible and that she is wronged, goes secretly on through multitudes of newspapers and various organisations, not only in the capitals, hut throughout the whole countries.